Dear Editor,

I write in response to a letter to the editor published in the Jamaica Observer on February 5, 2020.

In it the writer explained his/her concerns with the implementation of a Fair Usage Policy on Digicel postpaid plans. Digicel’s Fair Usage Policy is designed to prevent abuse of our network so that all users get equal access to the mobile network in order to enjoy the benefits of their respective plans.

In a service update to all postpaid customers in January we acknowledged the concerns raised by some customers about the policy and apologised to them for not notifying them sooner about the change. We also explained to our customers that the Fair Usage Policy prevents abuse by customers whose usage materially exceed reasonable individual consumption patterns. It is important to note that over 98 per cent of our customers do not fall within this category and would not be impacted by our Fair Usage Policy.

Fair usage policies are typical of our industry since network resources are finite. As an industry standard, fair usage allowances are dynamic and may vary based on consistent monitoring of network capacity and subscribers’ usage in order to ensure optimal service levels at all times.

In addition to the introduction of the Fair Usage Policy on November 1, 2019, we introduced complimentary access to the SportsMax app for our Freedom postpaid customers to watch and stream live games, highlights, reviews, and more. We have also increased data allowances and international calling minutes to selected Freedom postpaid plans at no additional cost, making Digicel postpaid plans the preferred choice for mobile customers who want real value, flexibility, and the most advanced LTE network experience.

Digicel continues to invest in building mobile network capacity that always meets and exceeds the changing demands of our customers. Thank you for this opportunity to respond.

Elon Parkinson

Public relations and communications manager

Digicel Group

Elon.Parkinson@digicelgroup.com